Some truths about Vitiligo and Me

I need to rant about this a bit more, as I’ve already done here and here !!! Hope you’ll still read through this post.

Recently, I had read this Editorial in The Hindu, when I had missed reading the news about it, and it surely had the power to make me feel sad, angry, irritated all at the same time. It was this article :

And I am sure that even you’ll feel terribly annoyed about the insensitivity and ignorance of the majority of the people around us and how they refuse to accept to your medical condition.

Ok. I am talking about leucoderma or vitiligo, which is the condition of any person whose melanin glands goes for a soup. And so the colour of the skin changes from the natural colour to white and might show in patches. Actually there is nothing harmful about this whole situation, apart from the cosmetic looks which might trouble a few.

When I was first diagnosed with this condition 6 years back, there were many people – mostly friends – who noticed it and even asked me about it. I used to feel terribly upset and annoyed that such a thing has happened to me.

I rushed to a Allopathy doctor, who named this condition and gave me some medications. I was also asked to rub some cream over the patches and sit under the morning sun. Now, that was an improbable situation for me, as some patches were quite personal. And the irony of the whole situation was the medicines didn’t agree with me and I started developing rashes, which was worse than the vitiligo !!! So, full stop to allopathic treatment.

Then my friend took me to a Homeopathy doctor and here I found treatment to condition my mind. I probably didn’t think that this doctor can counsel me so well, as I hesitantly went to his clinic. He was one soul, who identified this condition as the result of the trauma which I felt during and after this incident at home. He also explained that when people are under tremendous stress or when they encounter a traumatic experience and they are unable to talk about it or let out the feelings to others, the whole stress hits the glands or the general functioning of the body and gives way to medical issues.

Diabetes may be the result of a stressful condition hitting the insulin glands. I also know of a lady whose menstrual cycles stopped abruptly when she was just 40 and heard that her husband has got the Alzheimer’s syndrome. Stress is a killer in many ways – we just need to find means and methods to let it out.

Even though the homeopathic medicines didn’t work for me, that doctor made an impact on my thinking. I’ve become more of a chatter-box, talking more about my feelings and letting out the stress puffs regularly.

I even attempted to cure this by trying Ayurveda. After 6 months, I gave up on that too.

Now, I do not go for any medications or treatment. All I feel is a positive thinking about this condition and understanding that the patches are no way going to obstruct my life full of happiness.

Its the feel good feeling inside you, which will help you heal – the colour of the skin is totally irrelevant in this life !!!

I say a heartfelt thanks everyday, to that Homeopathy doctor for giving me an insight into my condition and which has helped me to overcome my inhibitions and fears regarding the same. I am less bothered now about what people think about my patches !! Even if they are bothered, I am certainly not affected by it. Just like other people have medical conditions like diabetes or cholesterol problems, I’ve this. And I am neither apologetic nor feel compelled to explain.

But I do get irritated and angry when people think this condition is hereditary or contagious, which I think or probably know heart of heart is absolutely wrong.

Like how the student was sent out of the college, there are many people who suffer silently out there, with discrimination in the eyes of the society.

Thank God, for a supportive family and friends around me, I’ve always found happiness in their acceptance of my condition. Its an absolute blessing for me.

And I pray to God for the same kind of acceptance to be bestowed on every individual who faces discrimination in the name of Vitiligo. I hereby request the whole society to look into the issue with sensitivity and care, and to treat people with Vitiligo with the same amount of love and respect. Especially, the rude stares can be certainly avoided. Its not a condition that people have gone and got it purposefully, like a tattoo.

Here is what happened to me the other day..the husband, daughter and I had gone to a bank to get some work done..we were waiting for our turn, when this man with melanin deficiency resutling in patches came inside..

R: Amma, unko kya hua
I tell her that his skin has some deficiency, but dont elaborate since she is only four
R: but Amma, unka skin different colours ka hai na
I tell her that different people have different colour skin and sometimes because of some problems the colour of certain part of the skin changes
R : wow Amma kitna acha lag raha hai, jaise God ne un pe shading kiya hai (Wow amma, it looks so nice, as if God has done shading on his skin)

And I was happy..happy because here is a kid who doesnt find it weird..

My thanks are due in abundance to you for sharing this great truth about ” Tattoo”. 🙂 Actually I was totally unaware that untold miseries in the inner world can be so reflective. I would like to call this Tattoo – right jargon. Shall we create an advertisement like this ..
” If you are too stressed out and keep finger on your lips you may get a bucket of sugar or bowl of tattoo or you may get a combo offer absolutely free. ” Jokes apart.. I never realized vitilligo is nothing but psychosomatic problem. Thanks once again for the insight.

You were really lucky to have found a doctor who was concerned to find the root cause behind the whole issue. And seriously it takes courage to come out and speak about something that is looked down upon by many a people.
*hugs*

Thank you for sharing, Uma. I always thought that vitiligo was a result of a vitamin deficiency – and I know of a homeopathic doctor in Secunderabad who treated a child and made sure her diet/ exposure to the sun also was monitored. This is the first time I’m hearing about the stress angle and I can quite believe it. I know of people whose hair has turned grey overnight with a traumatic experience. It’s awful when people don’t understand and give you solutions you don’t really want!

happy that you have found a solution.i wish all the doctors be like him ,who can give insight to all the diseases,without merely prescribing medicines.
i too read that article in hindu and felt very sad for these peoples ignorance. if the so called educated management of the college are like that then think about the students coming out of that college.
and yes stress is the root cause of all diseases. recently experienced this through a close relative.
after all if worriness cant bring any solution why should we keep on worrying?forget about the people who cant understand about others pain. let your prayers be answered and wish for a better society.
and remember this line “unakkum keelae ullavar kodi ninaithu paarthu nimmathi nadu” from the song(my fav) “mayakkama kalakkama”

Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in the human skin. The human skin contains special skin cells (melanocytes) that produce the pigment melanin which colors the skin. In Vitiligo, the special skin cells (melanocytes) as well as the tissues (mucous membranes) that line the inside of the mouth, nose, genital and rectal areas, and the retina of the eyes are destroyed.